The Hawaiian Islands, with their isolated location and unique ecosystems, offer a distinct environment for avian life, hosting a different array of species compared to mainland coastal regions.
Gulls and the Hawaiian Islands
Contrary to popular belief, “seagulls” (birds from the Larus genus) are generally not common residents or native to the Hawaiian Islands. Gulls are primarily scavengers, thriving along continental coasts and shallow inland waters where food is abundant. Hawaii’s deep ocean surrounding volcanic islands lacks the extensive shallow coastal shelves and mudflats that provide preferred foraging grounds for many gull species.
Occasional vagrant gulls, such as the Ring-billed Gull or Laughing Gull, might be sighted in Hawaii, but they are not long-term residents and do not breed there. These rare visitors may arrive due to storms or by hitchhiking on ships. The distance from continental landmasses also limits the regular migration of most gull species to Hawaii.
Birds Often Confused for Gulls
Visitors to Hawaii may encounter several bird species that, at first glance, might be mistaken for gulls due to their similar size, coloration, or coastal presence. Terns are frequently misidentified as gulls; however, terns typically have more slender bodies, pointed wings, and often forked tails, unlike the stouter gulls with more rounded tails. Terns also possess sharp, pointed bills, contrasting with the thicker, blunter bills of gulls. Their flight patterns differ, with terns exhibiting graceful, agile movements and often plunge-diving for fish, whereas gulls are more opportunistic feeders.
Tropicbirds are another group of seabirds that could be confused with gulls, particularly given their predominantly white plumage. They are distinguished by elongated central tail feathers, which can be as long as their bodies, and small, weak legs that make walking on land difficult. Tropicbirds are pelagic, spending most of their lives over open oceans and catching fish by hovering and plunge-diving into the surface layers of water.
Hawaii’s Unique Seabirds
Despite the general absence of gulls, Hawaii is home to a diverse array of unique seabirds well-adapted to the open ocean environment. The Laysan Albatross (Phoebastria immutabilis) is a prominent species, known for its impressive wingspan of up to 6.7 feet, allowing it to glide for hours over vast oceanic distances. These birds are mostly white with black wings and a distinctive black smudge around the eye, often nesting in large colonies on the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.
Shearwaters, such as the Wedge-tailed Shearwater (Ardenna pacifica), are common, recognized by their long, slender wings and habit of flying close to the water’s surface as if “shearing” it. These pelagic birds spend most of their lives at sea, coming to land primarily to nest in burrows.
Another notable group is the boobies, including the Red-footed Booby (Sula sula) and Brown Booby (Sula leucogaster). These agile birds are skilled plunge-divers, characterized by brightly colored feet (red in the Red-footed Booby) and ability to dive from considerable heights to catch fish and squid.